Gather up all those bottles and cans and contact the Oceanside Midget Generals for a fundraising bottle drive Dec. 6. Half of the proceeds will benefit SOS and the other half will help support this local rep hockey team. Email rsbrend@gmail.com and they will come pick up your bottles.Thank you Oceanside Midget Generals, parents, volunteers and managers!
What better sight than a herd of horses dressed up in Christmas attire hauling gifts to the SOS for children in-need. That’s exactly what you’ll find at the annual Silver Spur Toy Ride taking place November 15, 2015 in Parksville. Silver Spur Riding Club members start at Ballenas Secondary School at noon and head toward Morrison Ave, collecting new, unwrapped toys in their wagons and saddlebags. Once they reach McMillan Street they head up the hill toward SOS where they unload their treasures. The riders and horses take a break and have a snack (provided by Thrifty Foods and hosted by SOS) and then carry on to Standford Place to spread more cheer and collect more donations for the SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas Program.
Tigh-Na-Mara is teaming up with SOS for the seventh year to help bring gifts to all local children and youth this Christmas. The Tigh-Na-Mara Toy Drive has been instrumental in filling up the SOS Toy Shop, so that low-income parents and grandparents may shop for free for their children and youth. Bring a new, unwrapped toy or a monetary donation to Tigh-Na-Mara on November 25 and you’ll receive a free breakfast. Doors open at 6 am that morning and breakfast runs from 6:30-10 am. For those on a tight schedule, you can drop off your donation and take advantage of the Drive Thru breakfast from 7:30 am to 10 am. There is a strong need for gifts for girls and boys ages 10-13 and 14-17. The event is hosted by Tigh-Na-Mara in partnership with The PQB News, The Lounge 99.9 FM, The Beach 88.5 FM and SHAW TV. The News will also be on-site collecting donations for their Coins for Kids program, benefitting the SOS and the Salvation Army.
Get your child’s hair cut and you will be helping the SOS ensure all local children have a gift to unwrap this Christmas, and that families and individuals can enjoy a special meal together.
SOS Child, Youth and Family program coordinators got a wonderful and welcomed surprise when shopping at Michaels arts and craft store this week. The coordinators were looking for some T-shirt stencils and a few other Michaels-specific items for their programs and asked a sales associate for assistance. She asked SOS staff some questions about their programs and, realizing the value of the programs and their limited budget, decided they were worthy of some donations. A dozen boxes later the staff were on their way back to SOS! They have now unpacked the items and are overjoyed with all the crafty possibilities that lay ahead for local children and youth. Thank you Michaels!
There are great things happening at Qualicum Commons and the public is invited to come see for themselves on Wednesday, September 30 during the Qualicum Commons Celebration.
Service providers in the building will be leading tours and offering snacks while residents peruse the halls and take in the activities that go on regularly in the building.
There will music, crafts and demonstrations throughout the celebration, which runs from 3-5 pm.
SOS will be welcoming residents to its area of the building and will have play dough, tattoos, bubbles and a water table outside. There will also be information on SOS programs that have recently expanded to the facility, Seniors’ Connection and the Emergency Assistance Program.
Other groups in the building include the Regional District of Nanaimo Recreation and Parks, Building Learning Together, The Children’s Discovery Centre, Qualicum Beach School of Dance, Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs, Healthy Wisdom, Pacific Care Child and Family Enrichment Society and the School District 69 Collaborative Education Alternative Program (CEAP).
Qualicum Commons is located at 744 Primrose Street.
